APUS Legal Studies Program Writing Guide
- APUS Legal Studies Program Writing GuideThis is the place to start for all things legal writing at APUS: forum posts, exam essays, case briefs, legal memos, book reviews, and more.
Writing & Citing FAQs
Legal Writing Pointers
- Abbreviations: Cardiff Index to Legal AbbreviationsCardiff University
- Common Legal Writing Mistakes to AvoidUCLA School of Law
- Drafting a Law Office MemorandumCUNY School of Law
- Legal Writing in Plain English: ExercisesUniversity of Chicago Press
- Legislative Drafting GuideFrom the Open Law Library.
- Ten Tips for Better Legal WritingABA Journal
Legal Research and Writing Lessons from CALI
APUS students and faculty can access CALI's hundreds of legal studies web tutorials with APUS's subscription. Select the first link on the list for access instructions and authorization code.
- CALI Access InstructionsClick this link for instructions for accessing CALI.
- Legal Writing LessonsIncludes lessons on briefs, memoranda, client letters, contracts, emails, preventing plagiarism, and more.
Find Writing Assistance
- Writing@APUSThe APUS Library’s writing reference resource for students and faculty designed to supplement and complement writing instruction delivered across all disciplines.
- Writer's Reference Center This link opens in a new windowOnline reference for writers, with learning tools to write and research effectively.
- Tutor.com
Get started using Tutor.com, tutoring help for APUS students.
The Bluebook
- The Bluebook: A Uniform System of CitationUse this link to access the 20th edition of the official Bluebook style guide, compiled by the Harvard Law Review Association, the Columbia Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal.
APUS Legal Studies Program Case Brief Training
The APUS Legal Studies Program has created the following guides to help APUS students brief cases in a clear, consistent manner.
Please click the following link and enter your APUS credentials to access the full opinion on which the model case brief is based: Delahanty v. Hinckley, 564 A.2d 758 (D.C.App. 1989).
- How to Brief a Case: APUS Legal Studies Program Case Brief TrainingThis document gives students step-by-step details on briefing cases.
- Model Case Brief: APUS Legal Studies Program Case Brief TrainingThis document is a model case brief, based on the case of Delahanty v. Hinckley, 564 A.2d 758 (D.C.App. 1989). Click the link in the text above to read the full opinion on which this model brief was based.
- Grading Rubric: APUS Legal Studies Program Case Brief TrainingThis document is the grading rubric for case brief assignments.
The Bluebook and Legal Citations
- Abbreviations: Bluebook Abbreviations of Law Reviews & Legal JournalsUniversity of Washington School of Law
- Bluebooking Scholarly Legal WritingUsing the Bluebook to cite law review articles. Georgetown University Law Center (PDF).
- Citing Internet Sources: BluebookMassachusetts School of Law Library
- Everything You Wanted to Know that the Bluebook Does Not Tell You ClearlyGeorgetown Law Writing Center (PDF)
- Introduction to Basic Legal CitationCornell Legal Information Institute
- Introduction to BluebookingSpacing, capitalization, order of authorities, and more. Georgetown University Law Center (PDF).
- The Bluebook | UpdatesConstantly-updated minor updates included in each new printing of the printed Bluebook.
- Using the Bluebook: Fundamentals of Legal CitationHelpful starting points for Bluebook citation from the Boston University School of Law.
Free Legal Writing Podcasts
- Legal Writing Tips from Suffolk UniversityA weekly podcast that provides practical tips for effective legal writing
- Perk Up Your Pens Legal Writing PodcastFrom the Santa Clara University School of Law.
Resume Writing
- Legal ResumesTips from Berkeley Law.
- Writing Paralegal ResumesParalegal Today